Document text
Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
Page 1
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD Subj: USS RENSHAW (DDE-499) Visit to the Atoll of LIKIEP Ref : (a) Phonecon from Gordon Facer, DOE, on 22 May 79, regarding the New Marshallese Government's request for information about a Navy ship reported to have been at the Atoll of LIKIEP in early March 1954 Encl: (1) Deck Log entries 5-6 March 1954 for the USS RENSHAW (2) Document concerning Long Term Activity Estimates for the Northern Marshall Islands 1. Reference (a) indicates that the New Marshallese Government is attempting to locate any measurements or pictures that may have been taken at the Atoll of LIKIEP several days after the detonation of Operation CASTLE, Shot BRAVO in early March 1954. Their interest has focused on a Navy ship that is reported to have arrived at the atoll, unloaded instruments, and taken some pictures at that time. 2. The deck log of the USS RENSHAW (DDE-499) for Friday 5 March 1954 indicates that the ship arrived at the Atoll of LIKIEP that evening. The log makes no mention of off-loading instrumentation or of taking any pictures. Other entries indicate that a landing party departed for LIKIEP Island at 0705 on Saturday 6 Mar 1954 and returned to the ship at 0937 that morning. The RENSHAW departed the Atoll of LIKIEP at 1133 on 6 March 1954. Copies of these .entries are included as enclosure (1). . 3. The log of the RENSHAW does not make mention that she had any scientific personnel on board or that she was involved in any special survey operations. It is, of course, possible that when the landing party went ashore, some type of instrumentation might have been taken along. None of the currently available data, however, provides any information on the results of such measurements and it does not appear likely that any final reports would include results of such specifics as these. 4. Enclosure (2) entitled, "Long Term Activity Estimates for the Northern Marshall Islands" (unknown source) has been. located which provides information on Marshall Islands affected by BRAVO and YANKEE fallout. Although LIKIEP is not included in Table 5, the island of AILUK to the northeast is listed, The table indimtes that the dose rates at one hour after detonation on AILUK BRAVO and 0 R/hr after YANKEE. Figure 2 indicate allout intensity isodose line at H + 1 hrs for proximately through the northern part of LIKIEP.